Crime & Safety
Nearly a Ton of Chemical Xylene Spilled in Belcamp
The chemicals did not spread beyond the property.
An estimated 200 to 250 gallons of Xylene, a flammable toxic chemical, was spilled at the Citrus and Allied Essences Plant in Belcamp at approximately 5 p.m. Tuesday.
A spokesman for the Harford County Fire and EMS Association said that the incident was contained by 7:30 p.m. without injuries.
“The employees of Citrus and Allied acted properly and quickly upon detecting this spill. Their prompt actions certainly minimized the effects of this incident on the environment,” said Clarence Ross, assistant chief of the Harford County Hazardous Materials Response Team.
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Approximately 35 emergency responders and 14 employees were at the facility.
Employees told emergency response personnel that the spill occurred when a tote slipped as it was being stacked and fell against a wall causing it to break open and leak. An estimated 1,800 pounds of the chemical spilled, though officials said it did not affect any area outside the property.
